I think this is a sign that they regret bringing in Chris Brown. And I definitely think they intend to cut Chris Brown and fill his spot with Bell if they like what they see from Bell.

This was an easy knock to see on Brown for years now. I never did understand why they signed him given his inability to stay on the field. He does have talent and he'd be a fine RB if he could stay healthy.

The decisions at RB have puzzled me for years now. I don't know if it's the team's blind spot or what, but I guess we'll see how their strategy and planning bears out this year. The running game has to step it up big time to take this team to the level we all want them to be at.

This was an easy knock to see on Brown for years now. I never did understand why they signed him given his inability to stay on the field. He does have talent and he'd be a fine RB if he could stay healthy.

The decisions at RB have puzzled me for years now. I don't know if it's the team's blind spot or what, but I guess we'll see how their strategy and planning bears out this year. The running game has to step it up big time to take this team to the level we all want them to be at.

Me, too. My theory is that there's an arrogance there, or at least a strong tendency to avoid big-name RBs (Within Kubiak, which he adopted from Shanahan while in Denver).

The precious zone blocking system is THE key to the success of the running game, and therefore any old RB can be a star in "the system." At least that's what I feel when I see how the RB position has been treated.

It's as if Shanahan, and now Kubiak, want to validate their offense system by sticking to the idea of grabbing what I consider to be a "project RB" who seems to be just waiting to be discovered by the genius head coaches who are smart enough to grab said unknown or undervalued RB..."See? It's not THAT hard. I can grab a guy off the street, or any old castaway and make him fit in oursystem."

My opinion on this gets me hammered by probably 98% of the posters on this message board. I'm seen as a traitor and non-fan because I dare question the direction of the running game. Does the ZBS work? Only if you have BOTH a good line to run it, as well as a good RB to follow it. It seems we are honestly improving the line...but the RB portion is yet to be seen as having been sincerely addressed.

And I'm not saying that Kubiak alone is guilty. Capers practically lucked into Domanick Davis (Remember that the Texans FO had drafted DD with the idea that he MIGHT be able to contribute as a 3rd down guy and special teamer, at best). Well, DD blew up and made the Texans scouting department look pretty good. I don't even think Capers/Casserly can be credited with DD's success, it was just a lot of good fortune at the time...after all, we're talking about the two geniuses who thought James Allen, Jonathan Wells, Tony Hollings, and even Stacey (sp?) Mack could somehow nail down the job. Riiiiiight. Of course, the pickings were a little slim at the time, so it's hard to fault them for trying the best they could as an expansion team. No favors were given us when we began, that's for sure. Hell, we're dadgum blessed to even be alive right now with how slim the pickings were when we began.

OK, enough of the past. Back to NOW, because I Believe In NOW. Ahman Green is great, unless he gets hit on the knee. I suspect he'll do well, again, in the first real game or two...and then the knee will probably get cracked on, it's just part of the game after all, and it'll become too much to manage for Ahman (again). Not a knock on the guy, but it's just how it is. You can't go long before getting whacked, again, in the same spot that brought you down so many times before. BTW, I think this will also happen to Schaub at some point, too, especially in those first five games. YIKES.

A lot of the brain trust here will say that it's absurd for a team to try and pinpoint, and then actually go out and ACQUIRE ($$$$), a top tier RB. The idea, by most here, is that the day of the "feature back" is over.

I think it's extremely hard to really know, for sure, if a top tier guy is absolutely a top tier guy when he hits the field for real on game day. Most people who are Texans fans seem to don't want to fool with trying to risk a high pick on a RB. The risk is high, and it's too much for their ego to take if it were to turn out to be a Reggie Bush-type failure. Texans fans, and I'm one of them by the way, seem to hate the idea of getting trashed by the media. We annually piss and moan about how we "Don't get any looooove from the media" and how we are royally and perennially screwed out of our rightful place in the top power rankings by the preseason gurus on ESPN and elsewhere. We seem to actually want to get some kind remarks form the media as much as we'd like to win an actual game. I fall into it, to, so I am preaching to the choir on this.

Anyways...I have a soap box to stand on when it comes to QB and RB. But I really do appreciate the effort that GK/RS are putting into this team's future. I'd say that GK/RS seem to win a lot more than they lose.

If we keep Schaub and Green (and AJ, too) healthy...our defense is going to be able to pin its ears back and take some chances instead of trying to manage and limit the damage. Football Gods: Please grace our team with only the most minor of injuries...namely a hang nail or a slight sprain.

So...what's a fan to do? I have hopes that Kubiak will swallow his pride after this year and then hopefully make a top tier RB a priority in the first round next year. Or, at least try and trade for a YOUNG and fairly injury-free veteran RB if he's not liking the draft class at RB.

Our way of treating the RB (Dayne? Gado? Chris Brown?) position is definitely helter skelter, to me. Seems to be reaching at straws rather than actually trying to find THE best person out there.

This was an easy knock to see on Brown for years now. I never did understand why they signed him given his inability to stay on the field. He does have talent and he'd be a fine RB if he could stay healthy.

The decisions at RB have puzzled me for years now. I don't know if it's the team's blind spot or what, but I guess we'll see how their strategy and planning bears out this year. The running game has to step it up big time to take this team to the level we all want them to be at.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GP

Me, too. My theory is that there's an arrogance there, or at least a strong tendency to avoid big-name RBs (Within Kubiak, which he adopted from Shanahan while in Denver).

The precious zone blocking system is THE key to the success of the running game, and therefore any old RB can be a star in "the system." At least that's what I feel when I see how the RB position has been treated.

It's as if Shanahan, and now Kubiak, want to validate their offense system by sticking to the idea of grabbing what I consider to be a "project RB" who seems to be just waiting to be discovered by the genius head coaches who are smart enough to grab said unknown or undervalued RB..."See? It's not THAT hard. I can grab a guy off the street, or any old castaway and make him fit in oursystem."

My opinion on this gets me hammered by probably 98% of the posters on this message board. I'm seen as a traitor and non-fan because I dare question the direction of the running game. Does the ZBS work? Only if you have BOTH a good line to run it, as well as a good RB to follow it. It seems we are honestly improving the line...but the RB portion is yet to be seen as having been sincerely addressed.

A lot of the brain trust here will say that it's absurd for a team to try and pinpoint, and then actually go out and ACQUIRE ($$$$), a top tier RB. The idea, by most here, is that the day of the "feature back" is over.

I think it's extremely hard to really know, for sure, if a top tier guy is absolutely a top tier guy when he hits the field for real on game day. Most people who are Texans fans seem to don't want to fool with trying to risk a high pick on a RB. The risk is high, and it's too much for their ego to take if it were to turn out to be a Reggie Bush-type failure. Texans fans, and I'm one of them by the way, seem to hate the idea of getting trashed by the media.

Anyways...I have a soap box to stand on when it comes to QB and RB. But I really do appreciate the effort that GK/RS are putting into this team's future. I'd say that GK/RS seem to win a lot more than they lose.

If we keep Schaub and Green (and AJ, too) healthy...our defense is going to be able to pin its ears back and take some chances instead of trying to manage and limit the damage. Football Gods: Please grace our team with only the most minor of injuries...namely a hang nail or a slight sprain.

Our way of treating the RB (Dayne? Gado? Chris Brown?) position is definitely helter skelter, to me. Seems to be reaching at straws rather than actually trying to find THE best person out there.

(Sigh) This is the part where I get flamed. Fire away everybody.

Actually you get flamed more for your post on the QB than anything GP.

The way I see the RB position in the three drafts that Kubiak has been here is, crap we have a lot of holes (I.E. DL, OL, LB and DB) to fill that are far more of a glaring hole than the RB and that they are trying to do patch work with the RB so that other areas can be made into NFL caliber starters versus guys like Faggins who is not worth even being a nickel corner. Also, it does not help that the team has not had a 2nd round pick the last two years.

As far as droping high round pick on a runningback, I am said all along I donot like it one bit. The Payton, LT or Emmits seem to be a thing of the past with more and more teams running with more than one feature back, to save wear and tear on the commodity and prolong the investment. The 26th spor on down is about right I think for a runningback, but getting a LT is far more important than a RB to a teams success.

You can see with the drafting of Slaton how much the organization knows the runningback position is a weak spot on the team. Also with the bringing in Bell for an interview or workout that they will not just stand pat without looking under every stone for a back that can help this team. I think they actually formulated a plan and have stuck with it despite the criticism of the media and the so called fans who think they no more than the GM and coach.

__________________The Invisible Poster!Cynic at work, do not mind me; move along nothing to see here!

to me this is just a sign that they aren't totally happy with their backs (the Texans are looking at a "group" of RB's - per rotoworld).

spot on. I don't think us fans are too impressed with this group either I mean Darius Walker was the lone RB standing @ the end of last season (filling in adequately).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinny

If I had to guess, Brown is the player most on the hot seat. It may be unfair to Brown since he is supposedly injured but he looked old and slow when I got a peek at him.

I believe Slayton beats him out in camp, Gibbs is after someone who can explode though the hole on the backside with one cut then downhill from there. so you need vision, speed, deciveness, confidence in your ability, durability (which includes practicing) & a nose for the end zone. I honesly don't see much more the Texans can do until next season to address their need @ RB then, depending on the severity, use a first rd. pick if the right guy is still on the board Chris Wells, RB Ohio State comes to mind (doubtfull he'd still be there) maybe via free agent aquisition or even a trade? I don't expect movement until 09, however Rick Smith is full of surprises

maybe it's just my perception when looking around the league, but investing a lot of money into one RB may be something only 1/3 of the leagues teams do anymore. with injuries that seem to strike that position especially hard, it makes more sense to invest in a few guys who can get the job done together.

it would be nice to have that star RB we could use as the face of the franchise, but I don't think its a situation where GK has to "swallow his pride" and bring in a stud at RB via FA or the draft.

of course, I could be wrong and they could be looking at upgrading the position the next couple of years, but if we have a good year on the ground, I would bet people will be happy with the strategy GK and RS have taken.

I can't say I hope Kubiak and Smith look at drafting a top tier back in the first round next year until I see how the running game works this season. The problem with using Green is that even if he stays healthy he isn't a long term solution. If he goes down, though, and either Walker or Taylor takes over and has a great season I wouldn't want to see the team draft an RB high. If the team struggles this seaon with consistency and prodution from the RBs I can see them looking at RB in the draft. Shanahan wasn't one to draft linemen high either, but the Texans did this season. I think they will do what is best for the continued success of the team.

Me, too. My theory is that there's an arrogance there, or at least a strong tendency to avoid big-name RBs (Within Kubiak, which he adopted from Shanahan while in Denver).

Consider this a flame if you want but where is the evidence for this? Presumably big name RB's means first two rounds of the draft since getting Slaton doesn't count. So...

2006
1st round--only Reggie Bush was considered worthy of the #1 pick and obviously the pre-draft debate around here about his every down worthiness has proven to be a legitimate concern.
2nd round--Demeco Ryans v. Lendale White. Does taking a player they had rated in the 1st round and were shocked fell to them mean they didn't value RB?

Actually this year provides the strongest evidence available and it is against your point since Kubiak attempted to trade back into the 1st round to get DeAngelo Williams.

2007
1st round--Okoye v. Lynch. The vast majority of pundits had both Okoye and Willis ranked as bpa over Lynch. Plus they had just signed high profile Ahman Green.
2nd round--no pick

2008
1st round--Duane Brown v. Matt Forte. Not sure Forte qualifies as a big name RB. In any event, at best you are looking at one big need against another big need. Can't see how picking one means you don't care about the other.

2008
1st round--Duane Brown v. Matt Forte. Not sure Forte qualifies as a big name RB. In any event, at best you are looking at one big need against another big need. Can't see how picking one means you don't care about the other.

This is a bit misleading. Rashard Mendenhall was staring us right in the face before we traded down.

Actually you get flamed more for your post on the QB than anything GP.

The way I see the RB position in the three drafts that Kubiak has been here is, crap we have a lot of holes (I.E. DL, OL, LB and DB) to fill that are far more of a glaring hole than the RB and that they are trying to do patch work with the RB so that other areas can be made into NFL caliber starters versus guys like Faggins who is not worth even being a nickel corner. Also, it does not help that the team has not had a 2nd round pick the last two years.

As far as droping high round pick on a runningback, I am said all along I donot like it one bit. The Payton, LT or Emmits seem to be a thing of the past with more and more teams running with more than one feature back, to save wear and tear on the commodity and prolong the investment. The 26th spor on down is about right I think for a runningback, but getting a LT is far more important than a RB to a teams success.

You can see with the drafting of Slaton how much the organization knows the runningback position is a weak spot on the team. Also with the bringing in Bell for an interview or workout that they will not just stand pat without looking under every stone for a back that can help this team. I think they actually formulated a plan and have stuck with it despite the criticism of the media and the so called fans who think they no more than the GM and coach.

Glad you brought those two things up, because they are THE reason why I am not a Schaub fan at the moment.

Not having a 2nd round pick for two straight years has been brutal, and it's why I have a pretty low tolerance for Schaub this year. We might have acquired a "better" QB (that's to be seen, though) but we are TWO players short on our roster due to the trade for Schaub. Two 2nd rounders, guys. That's two guys who fall into the top 60 or so of both years' draft classes, meaning we would have had a couple of starters at a couple of positions. We dropped two more-than-likely starters for a backup QB (Schaub) who has potential when we already had a backup QB (Sage) who virtually appeared to be about the same guy in terms of effectiveness at the position of QB. So, yeah...I have a chip on my shoulder when I think about Matt Schaub vs. Sage Rosenfels. Sage cost us nothing.

Throw in this year's first round selection of Duane Brown, who albeit MIGHT have been Gibbs' guy all along, though that could be a standard PR line to save face for trading down, and we do have a bit of a dilemma here: We had a guy in Mendenhall who was a consensus top tier RB (in this year's draft) vs. an OL who was pegged as a 2nd rounder.

Now, I don't know that Duane would be there for us in the 2nd round...so that's where it does get a little fuzzy on draft strategy. With the run that was being made on OL, it's possible Duane Brown wouldn't have fallen to us in the 2nd round had we had a 2nd round selection. And there's the rub: We didn't HAVE a 2nd round pick at all. That's the beauty of the draft, I guess: The "what ifs" seem to be a source of great angst among fans.

I think we had a more talented RB there for the taking vs. a 2nd tier OL who we drafted in Duane Brown. I'm betting there was an OL in the 3rd who might have been able to add some depth to the OL. Maybe? Just thinking out loud here.

I'd like to point out to everybody that I DO think GK/RS are definitely heading us in the right direction. But the QB and RB spots, to me, are the two positions that seem to be head scratchers thus far. Just glad that we are getting quality drafts from GK/RS. But would have preferred to see us go after a really athletic, talented RB. We went after Amobi last year because he was so young, so athletic, and obviously talented...and I think Mendehall fits that bill at RB. Shoulda' stayed put and pulled the trigger on a RB.

But that's me. It's just my line of thinking. It's an opinion that's mine and something I'm not parroting from someone else.

[b]Glad you brought those two things up, because they are THE reason why I am not a Schaub fan at the moment.

Not having a 2nd round pick for two straight years has been brutal, and it's why I have a pretty low tolerance for Schaub this year.

I pretty much stopped reading right here. this is why there were so many flames on you when you talk about Schuab. It was not his doing or his fault regarding the draft picks so why hate him for it, that is just being hateful for no reason. So the guy fails in yor eyes before he toke a smap. Brilliant!

__________________The Invisible Poster!Cynic at work, do not mind me; move along nothing to see here!